A U.S. computer security expert is suing the Japanese government for violation of his freedom of speech, alleging they censored him at a recent computer security conference, the plaintiff said at a news conference on Monday. The lawsuit is the first of its kind in Japan, according to his lawyer. . . .
A U.S. computer security expert is suing the Japanese government for violation of his freedom of speech, alleging they censored him at a recent computer security conference, the plaintiff said at a news conference on Monday. The lawsuit is the first of its kind in Japan, according to his lawyer.

A legal firm representing Ejovi Nuwere, chief technology officer of SecurityLab Technologies, filed a petition at the Tokyo District Court against the Japanese government on Monday for punitive damages of Â¥30 million ($290,406) for violation of Nuwere's rights under Article 21 of the Japanese Constitution, according to Nuwere's attorney Tsutomu Shimizu.

Clause one of the article guarantees freedom of speech, press, and all other forms of expression.

The petition was filed following a claim by Nuwere that officials of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) forced him to abandon a presentation he was to have given on Nov. 12 on security issues related to Japan's online citizen registry network, called Juki Net.

Juki Net is a national network of databases that contain the names and personal details of nearly every person residing in Japan. It has been surrounded by controversy, particularly over its security.